• Features to Look For: Premium two post lifts often include features like triple telescoping front arms for servicing wider vehicles, adjustable screw pads for changing height, and superior models that offer a single point safety release for easier operation.
• Accessories: Numerous accessories are available for two post lifts. Some manufacturers include these with the lift, while others sell them separately. 
• Four Post Lifts: These commercial-grade auto and truck lifts are suitable for both servicing and storing vehicles, making them popular among hobbyists and DIY enthusiasts. They are quicker and easier to drive on and off compared to two post lifts.

• Storage vs. Service: Are you using the Automotive Lift Repair Orlando lift primarily for servicing vehicles or for stacking one car over another? In busy auto shops, a 14,000 lbs capacity lift is common, allowing for the servicing of various vehicles, including light trucks and vans. We offer models with capacities up to 40,000 lbs for heavier trucks if needed. For sports cars, consider a lighter-duty lift, like a 9,000 lbs capacity model, which is better suited for lower profiles and prevents bottoming out.

Four post lifts are particularly favored by home hobbyists and car collectors for their ability to service vehicles while also providing additional parking. If you’re using the lift for storage, a four post lift can help maximize your garage space.

• Brake and Wheel Work: A common concern for those considering an Automotive Lift Repair Orlando four post lift is how to perform brake and wheel work, as the wheels rest on the runways. To access the wheels, you’ll need an accessory like a rolling bridge jack, sliding bridge jack, or jack plate. Commercial-grade four post lifts have channels on the inside edges of the runways to accommodate these accessories, allowing you to raise and lower the vehicle one axle at a time for tire and brake work. For home hobby lifts, more affordable alternatives such as hydraulic rolling jacks or jack plates are available, allowing you to use your own bottle jacks or scissor jacks at the frame jacking points.

Historically, most four-post hoists were chain-driven, but there has been a significant shift towards cable drives in recent years. The primary reason for this transition is safety; with a cable drive, the hydraulic cylinder is located beneath the runway rather than running across the top of the front column to the rear column, as seen in chain drive models. This cylinder placement can be impractical, especially if the vehicle door is left open while raising the Automotive Lift Repair Orlando lift. Previously, one might have preferred a chain drive lift due to concerns about cable wear and the need for replacement. However, many premium manufacturers now offer larger diameter cable pulleys in their cable drive lifts, significantly extending cable lifespan. Consequently, chain drive models are becoming increasingly rare.

Commercial four-post lifts typically feature adjustable runways that can be spaced closer together or further apart, depending on the vehicle being raised. In contrast, the 7,000, 8,000, and 9K models designed for home hobbyists usually come with fixed runways that cannot be adjusted. Most premium four-post lift models are equipped with an advanced laddered safety system that engages automatically every four inches, which is particularly beneficial when working on uneven floors, allowing you to level the locking position in each column as needed.

Home and hobby four-post models are also designed to be free-standing, meaning they don’t require bolting to the concrete, which many customers find convenient.

Automotive Lift Repair Orlando Accessories

We’ve previously mentioned rolling jacks, sliding jacks, and jack plates, which are among the most popular accessories. Many models even offer a caster/wheel kit, enabling easy movement around the garage from one bay to another or outside if the lift fits through the doors.

One of the main advantages of Automotive Lift Repair Orlando scissor lifts is that they occupy less floor space compared to two-post or four-post lifts. Some models can lift vehicles to a height of over 69 inches, making them suitable for most low-profile vehicles. Options in this category range from low-rise to mid-rise and even full-rise models, with some also being portable.

Consider how high you want to raise the vehicle and whether you need to stand underneath it. A full rise model typically reaches around 70 inches and usually features an open center, providing complete access to the underside of the vehicle for any necessary work without taking up as much floor space as a two-post lift.

Mid-rise scissor lifts are the most popular, generally raising to about 48 inches. Many of these models are portable, allowing you to easily move them from one bay to another without taking up much space; you can park a car over them when not in use. Some mid-rise models offer an open center for full access to the car’s underside, while portable models do not. 

Low-rise models are also available, often portable, with typical lifting heights around 28 inches.

Besides lifting height, the primary consideration should be whether you want a portable or mounted lift. Portability is a convenient feature, but portable lifts typically lack the open center design, limiting access to the vehicle’s underside for tasks like transmission work or catalytic converter replacements.

Some scissor car lifts come with an SUV adapter kit, making it easier to access frame jacking points on certain vehicles that may be hard to reach.

Automotive Lift Repair Orlando Alignment lifts can be a subset of four-post and scissor lifts. Investing in a four-wheel alignment service can be very rewarding for your auto shop. These lifts come equipped with radius turn plates in the front and full-floating slip plates in the rear, essential for performing accurate and professional wheel alignments. Adding alignment services can significantly boost your revenue stream.

Each option has its advantages. Automotive Lift Repair Orlando Scissor alignment racks take up less space in your garage and provide unobstructed access between the runways, enhancing productivity. However, they tend to be more expensive than comparable four-post alignment racks. Four-post alignment lifts are generally more affordable and offer a wider variety of models with different lengths, widths, and lifting capacities.